The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-06
cars loaded with -four aud cabin car
were totally consumed, causing loss
Il foO ON
MRS. SHARP, SORROW.
She Tells Of Her Long, Happy Life
with the convicted Man.

some fashionable Mira FerdiI and Ward
remained with her husband 20 nurse
him through the Illness which over
took him there. The second case il
that at present before cur eyes-,he
irail, loving old wife OF Jacob Sharp
sharing his ontirem6nt.
To one upon whom euch o burden
has never come, the presence Of Mrs.
Sharp In the county jail with her con.
victed husband seems only most
natural and easy thing, but II Is prov
ing to her burden almost greater
than she can bear. Mrs. Sharp re.
mains beside her husband every
highland all night-sittipg by his
bedside, eagerly anticipating his every
wish.
"God gave me my dear husl and
she says to all who try TO comfort her,
"and he has given us great happiness
together. | trust him."
Mrs. Sharp is a delicate woman, dig
ni6ed and charming for one who must
certainly be nearly seventy years old.
When woman and stranger sent In
q card on Wednesday morning, word
came back at once: "Mrs. Sharp does
not remember the name, but she will
be glad to receive you" And when
the visitor entered the cheerful bresk.
fast room that locke upon tho court
yard In the center OF the Jail, Mrs.
shsTp stood with hand oustTe,Ched to
q woman the never saw before.
What can do for You, my ohildT'
she said.
There wac no smile on tho delicate,
pale face, and the voice was weak aud
almost broken, but the look as well as
the tone was that OF gentle woman,
Whose frat thought, ever In her
trouble, was tnat she could "be OF
use" to some one else. The uncon.
ventional speech made The CONVERSE
ton that would 80 easily have been
strained natural 6nl free. MB.
Sharp very coon spoke Of her "desr
hntband, ma The Always calls him, In
the ionleret aud mgot unaffected
way. Al to same time she rpoEt
feelinRly OF the burden that they have
been carrying gIthor aud which has
seemed ~ unuogeysarily Nc we're. "They
are killing us to.h," she said passion,
ntely. 1--WE arc old people now and
every stroke tells upon u.s." Ms
Sharp eppaks Of hereeli In this way, b,
II she we're very rear the end Of IN,
days che might expect to no granted
her, but no one seeing her for the first
time would think oil her no beinl
"old," Indeed, man who has seer
her q number Of times about the jai
spoke Of her as being about forty
eight or FLY yearu Of aye. Her hair |,
quite gay nov, and 10 worn In sol
waves about her lace. Her ayes mr.,
gray aud clear, real woman J
eyes. Her nose Ia ttraighl
and fine, and the whole iypl
tf lace is, NJ near 90 may be expressed
that which 10 always recognized % be
longing 10 "a New England lady.
Not the strong, determined New Eng
land woman's face, but the quiet, 10
fined, eomsv bat penaye eountenancs
that follows years OF repression
thoughtfuluees and care. In hight
Mrs. shsrp 10 about Ave feet two OF
three inches, and In figure neither
generous nor slight. In short, taken
all In oil, the vile OF thia man, whose
name 10 on every tongue, is just IN,
woman whom his disgrace moot cruel
ly hurts, hut whoee love will outast II
all. ID gnifed, ~ mpathelic, loving and
Christian woman, II 10 email wonder
that the bond between them should be
90 close. How close this bond ha,
been Mira. Snaps own words tell best
Speaking OF their happy lie together
she said:
1--WE have been 30 happy, my dear
husband and |. He has been every
thing 10 me that woman could AL
or desire. My every winh, my slight
est fancy, u has always been his plt M.
ure TO iuhll. Oh, We had been look.
my forward 20 TO next yearl Fifty
years we should have been married
the 23l OF ueHt March,"
"should have been, MIS- sharp7"
yes, yes, 'should have beenr II
Ia killing my dear husband before my
eyes, this terrible trouble, and I know
tina, II anything should happen 10 him
l should soon 40, too. We have been
happy too long Tor one 70 be content
without the other now"
but surely. you do not feel m So
riously alarmed about Mr.. Sharpe
condition. He Ia not worse7"
mot wore, perhaps, In one way,
but he 10 90 weak. No ono but my.
telf and his physicians know how
weak. He has been 90 brave about II,
90 almost foolishly brave. II baa
seemed sometimes 10 me as n he did
rot realize what II meant; he has b, on
30 strict about anything 10 be done
that could possibly be construed into
a desire Tor enosi. lie hiss not allowed
mo TO 20 10 the courtroom
Tor fear partly Of the efiott II
would have on mo and part.
y Tor lear II would seem
ike trying 10 create sympathy. Ho
has SAT bolt upright In his feat Tor
hours when he was positively urilt 10
be on, Of his bed, and 10 hfs b,en AZ
CHEEKY and 40 hslpiul ~ me % ho
could be. Not even 10 mo has he
complained Of the unnecessary thirgs
that have been dons 10 mako the dis-
grace more deep aud Infamous
Even while bhe talked, Mrs. Sharp
kept glanciDg anxiously q, the room
wherein her husband ws6 trying vain.
~ TO get little rest. Az sho finished
tpoaking the Trim young woman, who
bad been laying the table, motloned "a
her but Mrs Sharp waved her
away IL seemed n II Il were a relief
to her TO speak and speak freely.
"Oh, II they only knew him a.
krow him. IUe continued. III hive
been his vito for nearly Gity YEAR,,
and ! have been his colh iential
lfiend ~ vel, bat I have Bever
known him 10 even think OF doing
anything that was not honorable.
Even In tho most trivial things DC
has believed that what be has said
he would do, he must do, and that he
would not cay he would DO anything
ih1l VA net right. He haa been holor
llaoiL He has prsoticed always VII a.
he preached, and he has tried 10 bring
mp his children TO believe ami &C ~
he doea."
Before | 10, Mrs. SHARP said the
yibitor warmly, els there anything that
or anyone else could do iot your